1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in creating multimedia titles. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system, method and computer implemented process for use with application development software which permits rapid construction of multimedia titles.
2. Description of the Related Art
One of the fastest growing areas for computer technology is known as multimedia. A multimedia software application, usually referred to as a multimedia title, is an application that (by one popular definition) combines at least two elements from a list including video, audio, text, graphics and animation, which can be displayed on a display device and with which an end user can interact. Given the material or content now available for use in multimedia titles, such as film or animation clips, music, etc., multimedia titles make using computers simpler and more interesting and are effective mechanisms for conveying information. The use of multimedia titles is expanding rapidly, especially in public or semi-public situations, since multimedia titles can be developed such that little computer expertise is required of an end user. The techniques employed in multimedia titles are also gaining popularity for use in kiosks or direct customer access machines (such as automatic teller machines), in computer-based training, and educational and game titles.
One of the most popular types of multimedia titles is known as the flipbook. A flipbook is a story which comprises a number of scenes in which the content is included, which are analogous to pages in a book. Typically, a complete set of scenes constitutes the entire multimedia title. Each scene typically presents a different piece of the multimedia title with which an end user can interact. Each scene may include content such as text, graphics, animation, video clips, music, etc., and/or one or more "hot spots" through which the end user may interact with the scene. The title may be created such that from a given scene, the end user can proceed to other scenes in the story by utilizing "hot spot" based navigation included in the scene by its developer. Which scenes an end user can navigate to depends entirely on the developer. By selecting or clicking an appropriately programmed hot spot, the title moves to a corresponding scene. The end user may be able to navigate from one scene to one, two, three or more different scenes via different hot spots. Alternatively, the termination of a period of time can cause the title to automatically move from the scene to a predetermined scene. However, each scene is typically part of a sequence of scenes which are navigated linearly, and the end user is required to navigate the scenes linearly one at a time, like going through a flipbook one page at a time.
A number of application development tools for creating multimedia titles, also known as multimedia authoring tools, exist today. However, these tools have a number of drawbacks. One existing tool is Multimedia Toolbook from Asymetrix Corporation. The Multimedia Toolbook product permits a developer to create multimedia titles in the form of flipbooks, with each finished flipbook being the entire application itself. The resulting title is difficult to integrate with other software applications, in that it stands alone and must be loaded by itself onto the computer hardware and operating software from which it will interact with an end user. Thus, if a multimedia title created with Multimedia Toolbook is to be used in conjunction with other applications in, for example, a kiosk environment, a software integrator would have the difficult task of coordinating calls back and forth between the multimedia title and the other software applications to make them work in a coordinated fashion.
Additionally, within the Multimedia Toolbook development environment, it remains a difficult chore for a developer to connect the individual pages or scenes in the flipbook/multimedia title being created to each other. That is, each page or scene must be created from scratch, and the code for connecting one scene with the next scene (or scenes) must be manually written relative to each page or scene. This consumes extensive amounts of developer time and is quite cumbersome. Additionally, other limitations exist. It is very difficult to connect components of individual scenes with other applications or specific components of other applications which run concurrently on the same computer hardware/software environment. Additionally, an end user is typically running either the flipbook or story or a different application in the computing environment. It is difficult to program the flipbooks and applications to jump back and forth and maintain prior frames of reference or positions within the flipbooks and applications.
Other limitations of prior art flipbooks development tools include the fact that resulting flipbooks are typically linear, with the ability to branch or fork. That is, an end user either travels down one path of scenes or another. And while an individual scene may have some ability to have an end user interact with it, prior art flipbook multimedia authoring tools do not permit a substory to be created within a scene which has its own set of scenes independent from the rest of the flipbook.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved technique for creating multimedia titles which simplifies the development process and provides greater flexibility and function.